No. 2 Duke Opens 2024 Campaign Saturday with Bellarmine

Saturday, February 3

Durham, N.C.

12 p.m.

Duke University

Bellarmine

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Duke men's lacrosse lines up before faceoff in the NCAA semifinals at Lincoln Financial Field

Photo by: Duke Athletics

No. 2 Duke Opens 2024 Campaign Saturday with Bellarmine

2/2/2024 9:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse

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The Opening Faceoff

Duke opens the 2024 season against Bellarmine, Feb. 3. The Blue Devils enter the game at Koskinen Stadium on an 11-game home win streak.
The Blue Devils open their season against the Knights for the second consecutive year and are 3-0 all-time against Bellarmine.
Duke is 14-3 in season openers under head coach John Danowski with the last loss coming in 2020.
The Blue Devils return the core of the 2023 team that finished 16-3, won the ACC title and advanced to the NCAA Championship game. Duke welcomes back 79 percent of its total points and 80 percent of its goals from a year ago, including the starting attack unit of Brennan O'Neill, Dyson Williams and Andrew McAdorey.
Defensively, Duke has two thirds of its close defense coming back, including first-team All-American and USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Kenny Brower. Longstick midfielders Tyler Carpenter and Will Frisoli are back for their final seasons as Blue Devils and Jake Caputo, Jack Gray and Aidan Maguire will help to anchor the short stick defensive midfield unit.

Duke by the Numbers

783 - Career faceoffs won by Jake Naso - 34 shy of breaking the Duke record held by Brendan Fowler
14-3 – Duke's record in season openeres under Danowski
226 – Career points for Brennan O'Neill, ranking ninth in Duke history and 74 from becoming the fourth Blue Devil to 300
9 – Games this season against preseason top 20 teams
60 - Goals for Dyson Williams in 2023, the fifth different Blue Devil to score 60 goals in a season
11 - Game home winning streak for the Blue Devils dating back to April 14, 2022
65 – Career caused turnovers for Tyler Carpenter, ranking fourth in Duke history
459 - Career wins for Duke head coach John Danowski, second among all active coaches and sixth all-time in NCAA history
14-3 – Duke's record in season openers under John Danowski
27 - Assists Brennan O'Neill needs to become seventh player in Duke history to register 100 goals and 100 assists in his career
42 - Assists for O'Neill in 2023, double his total in 2022

Series History

Duke and Bellarmine are squaring off for the fourth time in the programs' histories. The Blue Devils are 3-0 all-time against the Knights, winning by an average of 11.67 goals. This is the second straight season Duke has opened the year against Bellarmine.
The Blue Devils defeated Bellarmine, 19-7, last season with Brennan O'Neill scoring two goals and dishing five assists.

A Win Over Bellarmine Would...

Be head coach John Danowski's 460th career win
Be Danowski's 241st win at Duke
Be the program's 630th overall victory

Season Openers

Duke is 14-3 in season openers under head coach John Danowski. The Blue Devils last lost their first game of the season in 2020, falling to Air Force, 14-13. Duke was ranked fifth at the time. Duke is 9-1 in season openers against unranked opponents since 2007.

Home Sweet Home

Duke enters the 2024 campaign riding an 11-game home win streak. The Blue Devils went 9-0 at home last season and last lost at Koskinen on April 9, 2022.
Under head coach John Danowski, Duke is 141-25 in games in Durham. Duke has gone unbeaten at home four times since 2007.

Consensus Preseason No. 2

Duke enters the 2024 campaign as the consensus No. 2 team in the three preseason polls. Reigning NCAA Champion, Notre Dame is No. 1 and Virginia third.
The Blue Devils finished the 2023 season ranked second after falling to the Fighting Irish in the NCAA title game.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils men's lacrosse, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeMLAX".

Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu

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